Monday 26 March 2012

No Room Inn Here: Xmas Stranger's Throat Slashed


A confused stranger was killed outside the front door of Bedford knifeman's flat, which was emblazoned with the words 'Danger of Death. Keep Out' - a jury has heard.


Alcoholic Inderjit Singh, 36, - known as 'Raj' to pals - had his throat slashed on a freezing Christmas night as a struggled to find a friend's flat and bled to death.


Sheet metal worker David Folley, 35, of 28 Calshot Walk has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to murdering Mr. Singh (pictured) in the early hours of December 25, 2010.


"The prosecution say this defendant took a knife from his flat and cut the throat of Inderjit Singh, leaving him to die on the staircase of the block of flats," prosecutor Mr. Stuart Alford told the jury.


"The defendant's flat was searched by the police that night and they found a large stash of knives and other weapons.


"They found hunting knives, a crossbow, baseball bats, swords and a rifle of some sort.


"There was also a t-shirt with a British National Party logo on it, which read: 'Fuck off. We're full.'


"There was also a BNP poster or flyer and one of the knives had a Nazi swastika emblem on it."


After riding the buses all day to keep warm and attending the late-night carol service at Brick Hill Baptist Church Mr. Singh tried to find his friend's flat at 82 Exeter Walk.


"Mr. Singh had a flat in Bedford, but often slept rough and slept in hostels or enjoyed the charity of friends. He was an alcoholic and lived a chaotic and disorganised life," said Mr. Alford.


However, he ended up outside Folley's flat drinking a bottle of whisky.


"The next thing we know is that he was outside that address dead."


Meanwhile, Folley had left the nearby Bluebell pub after an all-day drinking session in which he consumed up to fourteen pints and arrived home just after 1am.


He called the police at 1.55am and the recording was played to the jury in which Folley tells the operator: "There is a bloke lying in my hallway, I think he is dead.


"He is lying in a pool of blood, he's not moving. There is blood everywhere."


Police searched the area and a kitchen knife inside a carrier bag, which had the defendant's fingerprints on it, was recovered from Folley's allocated dustbin in the communal area.


There were no fingerprints or bloodstains on the knife, but a pathologist identified it as the potential murder weapon.


Folley's clothing was analysed and tiny spots of airborne blood from the victim were found on his jeans.


"The blood of Inderjit Singh was airborne only at the time he was killed," added Mr. Alford.


Folley was arrested the same day and denied stabbing Mr. Singh.


The jury are due to visit the scene today.


Trial continues...............

Sunday 25 March 2012

Schoolgirl Rape: E-Fit Released


Police hunting a rapist, who attacked a teenage girl in South-East London last summer, have released this e-fit of the suspect.

The 15 year-old girl was walking home along Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst after midnight on July 10, last year.

At the junction with Wilderness Road she was approached by a man with a local accent asking for directions to Sundridge Park.

Shortly afterwards she heard footsteps approaching her from behind and the suspect dragged her into bushes and raped her.

He is described as white, with blonde collar length hair parted to the side. He is of medium build, approximately six-feet tall and in his twenties.

He was wearing a long-sleeved plain navy blue top and beige chinos and was driving what is believed to be a dark blue Chevrolet Cruze saloon car.



A full DNA profile has been obtained from the scene.



Do you recognise the man depicted in the e-fit? Were you in the area at the time? Did you see or hear anything suspicious?



If you have any information please contact the incident room on 020 8721 4670 or alternatively to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Saturday 24 March 2012

Dishonest Nurse Jailed For Employment Scam


A Romford nurse, who concealed a benefit fraud conviction when securing two care home management jobs, was jailed for thirteen months today.

Caroline Anochili, 45, of Hathaway Gardens, who has a degree in mental health, collapsed in the dock at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court (pictured) when told she was going to prison.

She secured a £30,000 p.a. position at Gibson’s Lodge Nursing Home, Streatham, which she held for three years, but lied to the home and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

Anochili was sacked and arrested, but while on bail lied again to secure a better-paid job with Trees Park East Ham Ltd. of High Street South at their Cherrycroft Care Home.

The prosecution dropped charges that she stole £1900 at Cherrycroft and allegations of theft from vulnerable residents were never fully investigated.

She pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation between August 29 and 31, 2007 by failing to tell Gibson’s Lodge she had a criminal record and telling the CRB she had never been known by any other name.

She similarly pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation on November 10, 2010 by failing to tell Trees Park East Ham she had a criminal record and fraud between March 22 and 27, 2009 by representing she had never been known by any other names.

Prosecutor Mr. Michael Hall told the court Anochili was convicted of four counts of deception at Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2002 in relation to benefit fraud in one of her former names.

She successfully applied for the Gibson’s Lodge management position on August 29, 2007 and was subject to a CRB check.

“On the form she wrote an incorrect date of birth and an incorrect history of her various names, allowing no link to her previous criminal history.”

Anochili was arrested on July 9, 2010, but answered “no comment” and obtained employment with Trees Park East Ham in November by again using a fake date of birth and history of names.

She was arrested again on January 6 and February 24, last year. “She said she was completing the forms honestly as the conviction had been spent.”

Anochili later claimed her motivation was to finance her daughter’s private school education.

Judge Fergus Mitchell told the tearful defendant: “That conviction had to be declared if you were applying for jobs that involved trust and you knew that.

“In a well thought out and organised fraud you obtained employment and when you came before the police as an accused person you seem to have deceived them.

“What is really serious is that while on bail for the first charges you went ahead and did exactly the same thing, falsifying your application for employment.

“The word should go out that those who falsify forms in relation to employment that involves trust will be treated seriously.

“Cynically you went ahead with the same fraudulent procedure at a place where trust is paramount.”

Friday 23 March 2012

Gang Caged For Kidnapping Ex-Aide To Queen Mum



Three members of a brutal car-jacking gang - who kidnapped and robbed a former royal aide to the Queen Mother - have been caged.


The victim was beaten by the gang, who tied him up and forced him to strip naked in a lock-up, while demanding his bank PIN numbers.


Ex-Army Captain Niall Hall, 50, (pic.top) of Great Munden, Hertfordshire suffered a fractured left eye socket, plus damage to the eye, bleeding to the brain, a broken tooth, swelling and abrasions to his face and cuts to his knees.


He was attacked by three men armed with a machete on February 1 after parking his Land Rover Freelander in Bridge Lane, Battersea at 11.20pm and driven to the lock-up with his coat over his head.


Last month at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court two of the gang were found guilty by a jury of kidnap and robbery and last week received indeterminate sentences for public protection - equivalent to 16 years.


They are: Derwen Ellis, 30, (pic.2nd top) of Westbridge Road, Battersea and Martin Dias, 29, (pic.3rd top) of nearby Parkham Street.


Also jailed was 21 year-old Arron Miller, (pic.bottom) of Eccles Road, Battersea, who pleaded guilty to the same two counts before the trial and received 10 years.


Brian Gilbert, 19, of Cranmer House, Surrey Lane, Battersea was cleared on both counts and Dias's ex-girlfriend Kizzy Miller, 33, of Surrey Lane, Battersea was cleared of encouraging or assisting the offences of kidnap and robbery.


"As he was collecting items from the rear seat he realised he was surrounded by three men," prosecutor Mr. Bill McGivern told the jury.


"Believing he was about to be attacked he started to run off, but was quickly caught, overpowered and brought to the ground. One of them men came up close to his face and threatened him with a mini-machete if he did not co-operate.


"The male then demanded his expensive watch, which he handed over. He was also forced to give up his wallet.


"Mr. Hall was bundled into his car, his head covered with his coat, and the car driven off. As it was travelling he was threatened with a knife, which was held against his upper chest and groin."


The victim was tied and forced onto the lock-up's concrete floor behind a steel door until he gave the gang his bank PIN numbers at knife-point and cash was withdrawn at a Tesco's ATM in Battersea Park Road from two accounts within minutes.


He was stripped naked and forced into a change of clothes and dumped in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea with a wet towel over his head.


His vehicle was found on May 25 in Francis Barber Close, Streatham and police later identified the lock-up as an electrical shed splattered with Mr. Hall's blood and with items of his clothing still inside.

Thursday 22 March 2012

Sex-Charge G.P. Acquitted


A G.P. accused of groping his receptionist and a young female patient was cleared of all ten charges against him by a jury this week.


Dr. Ayoola Makanjuola, 53, (pictured) of Page Street, Mill Hill has now been cleared by the General Medical Council of misconduct and all criminal charges.


He was found not guilty at Wood Green Crown Court of six counts of indecently assaulting the 43 year-old receptionist between March 31 and June 4, 2002 at the 'Harmoni' surgery in Borehamwood.


He was also cleared of sexually assaulting a 25 year-old patient at his surgery in Bell Hill, Bicknoller, Barnet between October 27, 2008 and January 20, last year.

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Internet Banking Fraud: Man Sentenced


A greedy Pole, who allowed his bank account to be used to funnel nearly £5,000 looted from individuals’ savings, has narrowly dodged prison.

Rafal Kasprzak, 29, was tracked by police via his computer’s IP address, which was identified as the destination of funds taken from internet accounts.

He pleaded guilty to fraud at Wood Green Crown Court (pictured) and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, and ordered to complete 150 hours community service and 12 one-hour probation sessions.

There were a total of 15 illegal bank transfers, totalling £4,829, and customers’ details and passwords were used.

Courier Kasprzak, who arrived in the UK in 2008, claims he would have received a 15% commission for allowing his account to be used.

Judge Shaun Lyons told him: “This offence was professionally planned and involved multiple frauds over a few days.

“Your activity meant the loss to real people, members of the community, who have their own problems and a need for that money.

“You are not proving to be a model citizen and you have committed other minor offences.”

All the victims have been reimbursed.

“You came very close to going to jail today,” Judge Lyons told Kasprzak, who will not have to pay any costs or compensation.

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Chinese Couple Jailed For Passport Scam


A Chinese couple, arrested during a police swoop on their South London home, which resulted in the seizure of six bogus passports, have been jailed.

Pregnant Zhao Xin, 24, claimed she was sitting English tests at £200 a time on behalf of immigrants and £20,000 had passed through her bank account in just eleven days.

Ex-student Qi Lou, 26, who arrived in the UK in 2007, admitted he was an illegal overstayer, and the Home Office have started deportation proceedings.

Xin pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) to five counts of possessing a false identity document, namely a forged Chinese passport, with intent.

Lou similarly admitted possessing one false identity document, namely a forged Chinese passport, with intent.

On February 22, police armed with a search warrant, raided their Woolwich home and searched the premises.

Xin produced one of the forged passports – claiming it was hers – and the other four were found by police.

All were in different names, but contained her photograph.

Xin, who is six-months pregnant, claimed she could not work and needed money so sat exams for fellow countrywomen.

She was supplied the passports after responding to an internet ad, she claimed, and Lou insisted his forgery came form the same source.

Xin has an interpreter’s qualification from Middlesex University and told police she had sat just three exams on behalf of others.

Judge Simon Pratt told the defendants: “The possession of forged passports is now so prevalent the integrity of entire countries passports systems are in danger.

“You duped the examining body into believing you were the stated person on the passports so you could take exams for other people.”

Xin was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, which will automatically trigger deportation proceedings and Lou received ten months.

Proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act will follow.

Monday 19 March 2012

'Good Samaritan' Rioters Jailed


Three yobs who robbed a Malaysian student, who suffered a fractured jaw during last summer’s riots, have been jailed.

Reece Donovan, 22, (pic.top) of Milton Cross Road, Chadwell Heath and John Kafunda, 22, (pic.mid.) of Eastwood Road, Ilford targeted the injured victim.

Beau Isagba, 18, (pic.bottom) of Icknield Drive, Ilford had already injured Mohammed Asyraf Raziq Rossli, who was charged by a 100-strong mob in East London.

Donovan received five years; Kafunda three-and-a-half years and Isagba four-and-a-half years for robbing the student and looting shops during the riot.

At 7.20pm on August 8, last year Mr. Rossli and a friend were attacked by the mob, which included Isagba, as they pushed their bikes along Queens Road, Barking.

As he nursed his fractured jaw by the roadside Donovan and Kafunda approached and while pretending to assist him, rifled through his rucksack – taking a mobile phone and Sony PSP.

Donovan walked off with the items and was also identified as being amongst 20-30 hooded and scarved youths who looted a local Tesco’s.

Sunday 18 March 2012

Another Arrest In Croydon Riots Murder Investigation


Police investigating the murder of a father-of-four – shot in the head during last summer’s Croydon riots – have now arrested a seventh suspect.

Trevor Ellis, 26, (pictured) of Brixton Hill was with a group of friends and was a passenger in a car involved in a high-speed chase on August 8, last year.

Operation Trident detectives – who investigate black-on-black violent crime – are continuing to investigate the shooting and are appealing for witnesses.

Last Tuesday a 21 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody at a South London police station. He was later bailed pending further enquiries.

Mr. Ellis was shot just before 9.20pm in Duppas Hill Road, near the junction with Warrington Road.

He was rushed to St. George’s Hospital, Tooting, but was pronounced dead the next day.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Hutchison said: “Trevor Ellis was murdered on a night where Croydon, and in fact London, saw unprecedented levels of violence and disorder.

“I believe his killers were actively involved in looting and responsible for robbing at least two people that night.

“They thought nothing of arming themselves with a gun and ultimately taking a young man’s life leaving four young children without a father.

“I want anyone who was in central Croydon that night who saw this group or may have images of them on their cameras or phones to come forward.”

It is believed Mr. Ellis’s group became involved in an altercation with a group of approximately nine individuals.

This culminated in a vehicle pursuit involving three vehicles, which started in Scarbrook Road, Croydon, passing along the A232 flyover into Duppas Hill Road where Mr Ellis was shot.

Detectives are also appealing for anyone who witnessed the pursuit, which involved a dark coloured estate car and silver hatchback - believed to have been driven by the group of nine - and a dark coloured hatchback, in which Mr Ellis was a passenger.

Anyone with information relating to any aspect of the incident is asked to call the incident room on 020 8247 4553; if you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Two men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of handling stolen goods and have since been released with no further action.

On August 11 a 24 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, followed by a 26 year-old man the next day and a 27 year-old and 24 year-old man on August 13.

On August 18 a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and a 26 year-old man on November 25.

All are due to answer bail on April 17.

Saturday 17 March 2012

Burglars Who Fought Woman Victim Jailed


Two serial burglars who fought with one determined female victim when caught raiding her flat – resulting in all three tumbling down a staircase – have been locked-up.

They are: Lee Stevens, 42, (pic.top) of Lever Street, Islington, who received ten-and-half years and William Flynn, 28, (pic.bottom) of South Avenue, Chingford, who received seven years.

They were convicted at Southwark Crown Court of burgling and robbing the woman at her Westminster flat.

She caught them after returning from local shops and was pushed against a wall by one of the defendants who placed his arm against her throat while his accomplice rifled through her handbag.

The woman grabbed one by the collar as they tried to flee and all three fell down the communal staircase, ending up in a pile on the ground floor.

The victim was then thrown against a wall and her mobile phone ripped from her possession.

Five days later they were caught during another burglary in The Green, Great Bentley, Clacton, Essex and were caught by police.

Detective Constable Jody Stanger of the Westminster Burglary and Motor Vehicle unit said: “The actions of these two men had such a profound impact upon the victim that she felt she had to move from the area where she lived.

“The length of both sentences, reflect the seriousness of the offences and the danger both men pose to the public.

“It is a great result for the Westminster Burglary Team and I hope it goes some way to achieving closure for the victim.”

Friday 16 March 2012

Robbers Jailed For £2M Dubai Royal Family Cash Snatch


Two armed robbers, who snatched £2m in cash belonging to the Dubai royal family outside a West end bank, have been jailed today.

They are: jobless Trevor Mair, 45, (pic.top) of Brierley, New Addington, Croydon, who received 9 years and jobless Jonathan Haynes, 37, (pic.bottom) of Haroldslea Drive, Horley, Surrey, who received 14 years.

Two suitcases stuffed with fifty-pound notes were collected by two men working for the royals at the National Bank of Dubai in Bail Street on June 24, last year.

Two bank staff accompanied the men to their car parked outside, where a gunman approached and said: “Give me the money or I’ll blow your brains out.”

He grabbed one of the suitcases and his accomplice took the other and the robbers fled on foot.

Police were quickly given descriptions of the pair and five minutes later officers from the Met’s Diplomatic Protection Group – who effectively provide a ceremonial role outside sensitive buildings – saw them in Cadogan Square.

Mair was pulling a suitcase towards a parked car and Haynes was sitting in the driver’s seat.

All the cash was recovered and the next day an unloaded Glock pistol was found nearby.

Thursday 15 March 2012

Jobcentre Civil Servants Accused Of £1.7M Benefit Scam



Three Jobcentre civil servants were involved in a £1.7m plot involving at least 1,767 bogus claims for maternity benefit, tax credit and jobseekers allowance, a court heard yesterday.


They abused their authorised access to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) database too research claimants all over the country and make multiple fraudulent claims on their behalf, Croydon Crown Court (pictured) was told.


They are: Anthony Ekajeh, 48, of Pinewood Avenue, Rainham; Fiayo Akinwumiju, 35, of The Sycamore, Brighton Road, Coulsdon and Olufemi Kehinde, 47, of Bollo Bridge Road, Acton.


Accused of assisting them are: Folahan Akinwumiju, 34, of Narev Court, Cedar Avenue, Enfield; Charles Okedare, 40, of Barass Close, Enfield and Wale Akande, 45, of Lovett Way, Willesden.


"All six defendants are alleged to have been involved in a sophisticated and organised fraud targeted against the benefit system," said prosecutor Mr. Andrew Evans.


"It was carried out by submitting a large of false benefit claim forms and the claimants had no idea these claims had been made and did not complete or sign the forms.


"Their identities had been hijacked.


"A large number of claims were made for Sure Start Maternity Grants (SSMG) a one-off five hundred pound payment to help persons on benefits or low income to buy clothes or equipment for their new baby," added Mr. Evans.


A total of 1,562 bogus SSMG claims were made, plus 205 false claims to HMRC for tax credits and a lesser amount of jobseeker claims, totalling £4,515.


The civil servants in the dock were all at executive officer grade and Ekajeh worked at Dagenham Jobcentre; Akinwumiju at Crawley and Kehinde at Fulham.


The vast majority of the false claims were paid into Post Office Card Accounts (POCA). "They had also been opened in hijacked identities," said Mr. Evans.


"The three absent defendants can be linked to SSMG's that were falsified or to the POCA's to which the benefit payments are made.


"Accounts were opened in their names or the names of their family or in one case a company under their control."


Ekajeh was suspended in March 2010 after ten years in the civil service, where he also had a deputy management role and responsibility for the stock room, which contained blank claim forms.


"He was seen coming out of the stock room wearing an outdoor coat and carrying a plastic pouch that seemed quite full.


"From July 2009 he carried out a large number of unauthorised searches outside the area of the Dagenham Jobcentre and in his last month searched 105 other offices around the country in relation to 1600 clients.


"He played a key and principal role in these three frauds.


"He was also involved in yet another fraud, diverting payments of genuine jobseeker claims," added Mr. Evans. "He altered the bank details into which the payments should have been made."


Fiayo Akinwumiju was suspended in August, 2009. "In two weeks he accessed forty-three customers he had no legitimate reason to access.


"Shortly after false SSMG claims were made in their identities. In one hour he looked up twenty-four different benefit customers and thirty-six claims were made in the names of those customers.


"In a six-month period fifty-two customers were accessed and false tax credit claims were made in their names."


Kehinde was suspended on October 1, 2010. "On three dates he used the search facility to identify and access benefit customers all over the country and false SSMG claims were made in their identities.


"He also made searches in Bedford and yielded fifteen customers and twenty-one claims were made in those names that were false.


"All the searches were carried out after 6pm when the office was closed. He also played a key role in the fraud."


Folahan Akinwumiju claimed income support as a single parent and was arrested when his fingerprints were found on a bogus claim form and his home searched by police.


"They found a vast quantity of documents for various bank accounts, with various banks and in various names."


Three POCA cards were seized. "They were the end user accounts into which the fraudulent SSMG claims were paid."


Okedare was arrested in August, 2010. "Twenty POCA cards were found in his car and eighteen of them either received or requested fraudulent payments."


The jury were told Okedare was also captured on CCTV at a Post Office in nearby Bush Hill Park using POCA cards in the fraud to withdraw cash.


His handwriting was also identified on fraudulent claims and he had a National Insurance number on his phone involved in a bogus claim.


Akande was arrested in September, 2010. "His fingerprint was identified on two SSMG claim forms and he can also be linked via the accounts."


The six defendants, all of Nigerian origin, have pleaded not guilty to conspiring between January 1, 2009 and October 2, 2010 to defraud the DWP out of £820,000.


Ekajeh and Fiayo Akinwumiju alone deny conspiring between November, 2005 and July, 2010 to defraud HMRC out of £898,000.


Ekajeh alone denies conspiring to defraud the DWP out of £4,515.


A seventh defendant, Akinmayowe Aiyeola, 46, of Primrose Lane, Croydon has already pleaded guilty to all three counts.


The trial is expected to last two months.